No visit to Northern Michigan is complete without catching a show by singer-songwriter Michelle Chenard. Chances are, if you’re visiting the Petoskey/Charlevoix area, you’ll happen upon this darling of northern Michigan's music scene. Then you can join in with the ardent and loyal fan base she’s already built, of people who are known to travel all over the area to see Michelle perform in swanky establishments and area festivals from Detroit to Iron Mountain.

 

This former Yooper (that's a person from the Upper Peninsula in Yooperese for you non-Michiganders) started her musical career as a teenager rocking the U.P. in several bands before her peripatetic yearnings drew her South. She entertained at Disney resorts and toured throughout the southern U.S. Several successful tours in Europe followed. Next, she touched down on the east coast, showcasing at such venerable establishments as CBGB's and The Stone Pony.

 

After several years in the New York metro area, Michelle returned to her roots in Michigan. She became the driving force behind the popular duo Leavin' Dodge, releasing three CDs and opening for such acts as Collective Soul and Reba McIntyre. In 2002 she wrote and produced her first solo effort, "4", featuring the single "Ordinary Time", which received college and regional airplay as well as rave reviews from fans and press alike. Michelle's second solo effort, the album "39 Drops", was debuted in March 2005 to a packed house at a favorite Bay Harbor saloon. Featuring such memorable tunes as “My Magdaline”, “Perfect”, “Pass Over”, and the title track, fans and local reviewers alike once again praised Michelle’s talent, both at the mic and on the page, noting that all the songs are originals written by Michelle.

 

"Live at the Pink Pony" was released in 2006. It’s an album she did with long time friend and another of Northern Michigan’s favorite artists, Pete Kehoe, and is a “mostly” fluid conversion of the live performances people are used to seeing from these two great performers. Michelle says “mostly” because the subtitle of the album is “flaws and all”. But as her rabid fans tell you, getting to hear all the songs that they’ve been shouting out from the back of the bar for years was a rare and special treat. Woven into an album of favorite covers is original material from both artists. Another CD from these two artists is in the works and should be equally as well received.

 

Another project that Michelle is involved with is with the band “Blood Sisters” where she gets to partner up with friends Mary McGuire, a Detroit Music Award winner, and Barbara Payton, who has performed with both Bob Seger and Kid Rock. These ladies have been spotted around the greater Detroit area and are going to be at the Mackinac Island Music Festival in 2011 opening for the Howling Diablos.

 

When she’s not entertaining the masses in saloons or at festivals, Michelle happily donates her time and talent to such charitable organizations as Brother Dan’s Food Pantry and Camp Quality as part of the Women on Wheels Lady Bikers fundraising efforts.

 

I’ve known Michelle for more years than I can count on two hands and I’ve been very proud to call her my friend. With everything that this vibrant artist does it stands to reason that friends, family, fans, and people who will someday be fans (you don’t know who you are yet, but you’re out there) all wait with bated breath to see where she’ll be next.

 

 

~ Bryan Foster